The Board of Control for Cricket in India is seeking a foreign coach to replace New Zealander John Wright when he steps down following the one-day series against Pakistan this month, a team source said on Thursday.
"The players have said they want to move forward and go to a new coach who has past experience and who will be able to carry forward what John has done," the source said.
He said three Australians were in contention, former all rounder Tom Moody, who is currently the director of cricket with English county Worcestershire, Bangladesh coach Dav Whatmore and former Australia captain Greg Chappell.
The source said domestic media reports that former India captain Sunil Gavaskar or any other Indian coach would come in were incorrect.
"They (the BCCI) are not considering an Indian coach for the job," he said.
Former New Zealand captain Wright took over in November 2000 and is credited with moulding the talented, but inconsistent bunch of players into a cohesive unit.
Although the BCCI wanted him to continue until the 2007 World Cup in the Caribbean, Wright wants to rejoin his family in New Zealand.
He had been expected to stay on until the end of a one-day series against Sri Lanka in April, but the search for a new coach has intensified after that series was postponed.
EARLY CRITICISM
Former players had been critical when Wright was appointed as India's first foreign coach. Wright, however, won them over after helping the team rally to a sensational 2-1 home test series victory over Australia in 2001.
He has linked up effectively with captain Saurav Ganguly to help India climb to number three in the world test rankings and guided them to the 2003 World Cup final in South Africa.
An Indian cricket official said any final decision on a new coach would be made only after consulting all senior players.
Moody, 39, a member of Australia's World Cup winning squads in 1987 and 1999, appeared in eight tests and 76 one-dayers during his playing career spanning over 15 years from 1985-86.
Moody, who had also been linked to the England and South Africa jobs in recent months, is regarded as a strong candidate.
Former Australia captain Chappell was also in the reckoning five years ago when the board chose Wright as the first foreign coach.
However, Chappell, who was in Bombay earlier this week to launch his coaching clinic, said he had not been approached by the Indian board this time.
Whatmore, 51, was hailed as a national hero in Sri Lanka after guiding their unheralded team to an upset World Cup victory in 1996.
He completed two terms as Sri Lanka coach before taking over minnows Bangladesh in 2003.
